Notable Put Options Activity in Xcel Energy

Shares of Xcel Energy

are higher on the session by 0.11%, currently trading at $26.45. The stock has been moving largely higher over the past three months and is currently trading above the 50-day moving average. Options traders are focusing on puts today. The strike seeing the heaviest action is the January 2012 $25.00 put, which has traded 1,600 times on open interest of 0 contracts. Put volume is outpacing call volume by 40 to 1. Xcel Energy Inc. is a holding company with subsidiaries engaged in the utility business. During the year ended December 31, 2010, Xcel Energy's operations included the activity of four wholly owned utility subsidiaries that serve electric and natural gas to customers in eight states.